mxmlc NullPointerException crash

Today I was getting crazy to find out why Flex didn’t want to compile my application.. Clicking on compile it started suddenly to give me an internal compile error and nothing else. So i tried to compile with the mxmlc from a console just to see the error log and the outpuw was:
java.lang.NullPointerException
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:891)
at macromedia.asc.parser.BinaryExpressionNode.evaluate(BinaryExpressionNode.java:38)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:890)
at macromedia.asc.parser.BinaryExpressionNode.evaluate(BinaryExpressionNode.java:38)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:891)
at macromedia.asc.parser.BinaryExpressionNode.evaluate(BinaryExpressionNode.java:38)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:890)
at macromedia.asc.parser.BinaryExpressionNode.evaluate(BinaryExpressionNode.java:38)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:962)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ListNode.evaluate(ListNode.java:27)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:5859)
at macromedia.asc.parser.LiteralXMLNode.evaluate(LiteralXMLNode.java:28)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:3087)
at macromedia.asc.parser.VariableBindingNode.evaluate(VariableBindingNode.java:48)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:962)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ListNode.evaluate(ListNode.java:27)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:2897)
at macromedia.asc.parser.VariableDefinitionNode.evaluate(VariableDefinitionNode.java:32)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:4629)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ClassDefinitionNode.evaluate(ClassDefinitionNode.java:86)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:938)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ArgumentListNode.evaluate(ArgumentListNode.java:28)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:750)
at macromedia.asc.parser.SetExpressionNode.evaluate(SetExpressionNode.java:39)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:580)
at macromedia.asc.parser.MemberExpressionNode.evaluate(MemberExpressionNode.java:31)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:1273)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ExpressionStatementNode.evaluate(ExpressionStatementNode.java:33)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:4407)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ClassDefinitionNode.evaluate(ClassDefinitionNode.java:86)
at macromedia.asc.semantics.FlowAnalyzer.evaluate(FlowAnalyzer.java:2577)
at macromedia.asc.parser.ProgramNode.evaluate(ProgramNode.java:63)
at flex2.compiler.as3.Compiler.analyze2(Compiler.java:436)
at flex2.compiler.mxml.InterfaceCompiler.analyze2(InterfaceCompiler.java:337)
at flex2.compiler.mxml.Compiler.analyze2(Compiler.java:130)
at flex2.compiler.API.analyze(API.java:2360)
at flex2.compiler.API.analyze(API.java:2275)
at flex2.compiler.API.batch2(API.java:337)
at flex2.compiler.API.batch(API.java:1025)
at flex2.compiler.API.compile(API.java:1211)
at flex2.compiler.API.compile(API.java:1114)
at flex2.tools.Compiler.main(Compiler.java:222)

Wow!!
So, how can I find the problem? I can’t find any useful information from this log..
For this reason I had to remove portion of code from my mxml and from all the imported packages.. 2 hours of “debugging” gave me the solution!

A syntax error in a declaration of an XMLList was the problem!  Fixed the line also the compiler started to run again with no problems.

This is a portion of mxml code to reproduce the problem:
;

< ![CDATA[ private var uuid:String = ""; private var menubarXML:XMLList = <>
<>;
]]>

SoundMixer with Papervision3d & ImageProcessing

Recently I’ve joined the papervision3d mailing list and started to make some little test with 3ds max exported files just to see how it works and its performances.
There are various demos around the net about papervision and all of them are really impressive. Unfortunately my skills with 3D studio max are less than zero and so I could test only with basic objects..

BTW, after I’ve discovered also this great library (ImageProcessing) I decided to make a test with both the libraries together to create some effects to be used in a SoundMixer movie.

Here the result of my experiment: Main.html

Once the music starts click on the stage with mouse to change the visualization effect.
There are 6 different effects.
For the papervision objects I used these .dae files: cube.dae, plane.dae and sphere.dae ( download them )

Oh my, Flex3 already on the way?

Today I started reading in various blog about the prerelease program of Flex3!
Ted Patrick blogged about the most important Flex3 feature “Flex 3.0 targets the release version of Flash Player 9 and will be widely deployable to over 90% of computers” (so, linux isn’t included here?)

Also Ben Forta speaks about the new Flex3 and  put the link for the online prerelease program application form.
So, what we can expects from this new Flex3 and when its release is scheduled?

Flex 2.0.1 for linux
I want also to put a link to a this site, a chinese guy who put together flex 2.0.1 for linux.. well, not sure about the legal aspect of this thing, but this demonstrate it is possible (sure, it’s eclipse, we already know that!) and so how long we have to wait for an official one?

Flex 2.0.1 is here..

Adobe is just announcing the release of Flex 2.0.1 and everyone around here seems really excited about that! (I agree, Flex is really an impressive software)

Other than including the already released asdoc tool into the installer, this new release can now manage CSS at runtime, support the FlashType encoding (so useful in Flash 8) and includes the  new mx.modules (for the list of complete changes and fixes I suggest to read the release notes).
Moreover it seems that this new release is ready for Apollo (when it finally will be available)..
But the big news is the Mac OSX support for Flex2.

So, now I should ask: “where is the Linux support”?
Eclipse is cross-platform, Flex is based on eclipse (1+1?)… we’ve Flex on both Windows and OS(ni)X, We already have the flash9 player for linux (I tested it on my ubuntu and seems to quite stable and faster enough).. so will we get a chance?

P.S. Here you can read the official Flex 2.0.1 release notes.

Flex Cookbook

It’s online the Flex cookbook beta in the Adobe Developer Center.
I’m a big fan of the cookbooks since I first bought the PHP cookbook and later Python cookbook. It’s probably the most simple way to learn with real examples of common problems.

As written in the Flex cookbok beta site, the in the Flex cookbook you can:
– Find solutions to your Flex-related problems.
– Publish solutions you have created for the greater Flex community.
– Comment on solutions created by others.
– Opt for a chance to have your solution published by O’Reilly.

I hope it will grow up with more and more contents!

CubeRotate flickr slideshow

[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”10.0.22″ movie=”http://blog.sephiroth.it/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/flickr_cube.swf” width=”200″ height=”200″ targetclass=”flashmovie” bgColor=”#CCCCCC”]

Get Adobe Flash player

[/kml_flashembed]

Thanks to alex uhlmann who released the source code of his presentation at MAX, I’ve managed to do this little flickr slideshow based on his CubeRotate flex effect.

This effect, beside all the others in the flex component, are based in Sandy (a great opensource 3D engine).

Using the flickr libs from labs.adobe.com first I’ve created a very simple slideshow to take pictures from my personal gallery, then I followed the examples provided within the Alex’s files and voilà.. a little but indeed cool effect 🙂

Just one remark. I need to put a PHP page on my site with reads the flickr image file, using php’s function readfile, otherwise all the bitmapdata effects couldn’t works, because images are not from the same domain…If someone is interested I put toghether also a little tutorial on how to make it.

For more informations read the original entry @ Alex Uhlmann blog.

P.S. Do you like that little boy in the first picture? 🙂 It’s me!

[attachments docid=897 force_saveas=”1″ logged_users=”0″]

Create a Flex2 search plugin toolbar in Firefox2

With the release of Firefox 2.0 we had many new features and one of these is the Enhanced search capabilities:
Search term suggestions will now appear as users type in the integrated search box when using the Google, Yahoo! or Answers.com search engines. A new search engine manager makes it easier to add, remove and re-order search engines, and users will be alerted when Firefox encounters a website that offers new search engines that the user may wish to install.”

For example you can add more search engines from here. I’ve take a look at the google built-in search plugin and I managed to create a search engine for AS3/Flex2 which uses the livedocs as target result site, but which uses a “search term suggestion” too.

You can install in Firefox2 this search plugin just clicking here.
This is the XML I used to generate this search engine:

<SearchPlugin xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/" xmlns:os="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/">
<os:ShortName>Actionscript 3.0</os:ShortName>
<os:Description>ActionScript 3.0 search on livedocs</os:Description>
<os:InputEncoding>UTF-8</os:InputEncoding>
<os:Image width="16" height="16">data:image/x-icon;base64,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</os:Image>
<SearchForm>http://livedocs.macromedia.com/cfusion/search/index.cfm</SearchForm>
<os:Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://suggestqueries.google.com/complete/search?output=firefox&client=firefox&qu={searchTerms}"></os:Url>
<!--<os:Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://localhost/as3-static/search.php?q={searchTerms}"></os:Url>-->
<os:Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://livedocs.macromedia.com/cfusion/search/index.cfm">
<os:Param name="loc" value="en_US"/>
<os:Param name="termPrefix" value="site:livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2 "/>
<os:Param name="term" value="site:livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2 &quot;{searchTerms}&quot;"/>
<os:Param name="area" value=""/>
<os:Param name="search_text" value="{searchTerms}"/>
<os:Param name="action" value="Search"/>
<os:Param name="client" value="firefox"/>
</os:Url>
</SearchPlugin>

You can also install it just by creating  an xml with this code and save into your:
{UserAppDataDir}\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{ProfileName}\searchplugins\

Using this search plugin as it is now, it just will redirect all the queries to the http://livedocs.macromedia.com site, and uses the google suggestion search engine to display the suggestions.
See an example on how suggestions works here. As you can see the results are encoded using JSON.
This is the output you will see there: [“mx.core.”,[“mx.core.view”]]

But since I wanted to have a “pure” flex2 suggestion search engine I grabbed all the contents from the Flex2 Language Reference site using python, saved the results in a local Mysql database and finally created a little search engine in PHP which returns the same json-encoded results, to be used with my search plugin.

Replacing the original search plugin xml file into:

<SearchPlugin xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/" xmlns:os="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/">
<os:ShortName>Actionscript 3.0</os:ShortName>
<os:Description>ActionScript 3.0 search on livedocs</os:Description>
<os:InputEncoding>UTF-8</os:InputEncoding>
<os:Image width="16" height="16">data:image/x-icon;base64,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</os:Image>
<SearchForm>http://livedocs.macromedia.com/cfusion/search/index.cfm</SearchForm>
<os:Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://localhost/as3-static/search.php?q={searchTerms}"></os:Url>
<os:Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://livedocs.macromedia.com/cfusion/search/index.cfm">
<os:Param name="loc" value="en_US"/>
<os:Param name="termPrefix" value="site:livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2 "/>
<os:Param name="term" value="site:livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2 &quot;{searchTerms}&quot;"/>
<os:Param name="area" value=""/>
<os:Param name="search_text" value="{searchTerms}"/>
<os:Param name="action" value="Search"/>
<os:Param name="client" value="firefox"/>
</os:Url>
</SearchPlugin>

now the search plugin engine will query http://localhost/as3-static/search.php?q={searchTerms} for displaying the suggestions (so you need to have a php script there which can return something).
What I did at this point is:
1. Grab the flex2 reference using this python script. This script will output a file mysql.sql.
2. Import this sql file into my Mysql database using:

mysql  flex2_reference < mysql.sql

where “flex2_reference” is a database I previously created.
3. Create this php script (sorry, it’s not really a good example of php script…) and saved into my localhost at this address: http://localhost/as3-static/search.php
and I’ve got a fully ActionScript 3.0 search engine with suggestion!